Broadband circuit identification method for controlling service access

ABSTRACT

A method for controlling customers&#39; access to services on a broadband network. The method uses a circuit identifier, unique to each customer, to compare service requests with service entitlements. The network provider flows the circuit identifiers to the service providers where relationship between the circuit identifiers and the service entitlements is established in service orders. Service providers flow the service orders back to the broadband network though a standard business system interface. The relationship between the circuit identifiers and the service requests is accomplished at the Broadband Digital Terminal that interface the customers to the broadband network. The circuit identifiers also permit sorting of data bases containing logs of service requests and logs of maintenance actions.

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/201,512 filed on Nov.30, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,091,735.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the field of controlling access to services ona broadband network in which a circuit identifier, unique to each port,is used when verifying requests for the services against allowed serviceentitlements.

BACKGROUND ART

Presently, many home owners and businesses contract with multipleservice providers for the telephone, video and data services they need.Having several different types of interfaces to the various classes ofservices is common. For example, a business may have one set of phonelines for telephone services, a coax interface for video services, and awide area network interface for data services. The emergence ofbroadband networks is changing this situation by allowing all of theclasses of services to be available to the customers through a singlebroadband network interface.

The bundling of services on the broadband networks has created achallenge to match delivery of services with the customers'entitlements. Historically, different service providers have useddifferent methods to control customer access to services. For example,cable companies provide video services by sending the entire suite ofchannels to all of the customers all of the time. The customer thenreceives only those channels that they have paid for by means of specialequipment at the customers location that filters out the non-contractedchannels. A cable company changes the channel entitlement by eitherreplacing or reprogramming the equipment at the customer's site. Dataservice companies control customer access to services at their end ofthe interface. The customers link their computers to the serviceprovider's computers typically using a cable modem. Without changing thecable modem, the service provider can alter the cervices the customermay access by issuing new instructions to its own computers. Since theservice providers control the interfaces to the customers, they cancontrol the access to the services any way they want.

Inserting a broadband network between the service providers and thecustomers shifts the burden of controlling customer access to theservices on the broadband network. For example, customers who wish toactivate a new video service must contact their video service providerof choice to establish the entitlements. The service provider then makesthe new video service available to the broadband network along with acircuit identification of the customers who are entitled to receive it.The broadband network then routes the new video service only to thosenetwork ports that interface to the entitled customers. This approachrequires the broadband network manager to understand which ports areentitled to which services and control them from the network sideaccordingly. However, no standard mechanism is currently in place thatallows the service providers to inform the network manager which portsare entitled to which services.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The present invention is a method for controlling customer access toservices on a broadband network. The method uses a circuit identifier,unique to each port, to compare service requests with serviceentitlements. The network provider flows the circuit identifiers to theservice providers where relationship between the circuit identifiers andthe service entitlements is established in service orders. Serviceproviders flow the service orders back to the broadband network though astandard business system interface. The relationship between the circuitidentifiers and the service requests is accomplished at the BroadbandDigital Terminal that interfaces the customers to the broadband network.The circuit identifiers also permit sorting of data bases containinglogs of service requests and logs of maintenance actions.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a methodof controlling customer access to services on a broadband network.

Another object of the present invention of is to provide for multiplecircuit identifiers to facilitate service access control, where each ofthe multiple circuit identifiers is unique to one port on one remotenode.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method forflowing the circuit identifiers to the service providers whereentitlements are attached and flowed back into the broadband network.

Another object of the present invention is to attach a port number and aremote node number to each service request at the port with which thecustomer interfaces.

These and other objects will become more apparent from a reading of thedetailed specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic of a typical broadband network with multiplecustomers and multiple service providers;

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the sequence of events that establish therelationship between the customer and the customer service entitlements;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of the sequence of events that log and verifyservice requests against the service entitlements; and

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of the sequence of events used to supportmaintenance actions.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows the layout of a typical broadband network that implementsthe method of the present invention. A network provider houses a centralnode, such as a Broadband Digital Terminal (BDT) 10, in a centraloffice. The BDT is responsible for controlling the broadband network.Fiber optics branch out from the BDT to remote nodes 12 a-12 d locatednear the customers. The remote nodes 12 a-12 d can be any combination ofseveral variety of boxes, including a Broadband Network Unit (BNU), aUniversal Service Access Multiplexer (USAM), and an Optical Network Unit(ONU). Each remote node 12 a-12 d provide a bridge between the opticaldomain of the broadband network and the electrical domain of thecustomers 14 a-14 j. Each remote node 12 a-12 d has several ports, atleast one port for each customer 14 a-14 j. The ports are connected toNetwork Interface Devices' (NID) 16 a-16 e which are located on theoutside of the customers building. Each NID 16 a-16 e is connected to aSet-Top Box (STB) 18 a-18 l. The STBs 18 a-18 l encodes and decodes thevarious services sent and received respectively from the port.

A variety of service providers 20 a-20 f interface to the broadbandnetwork through the BDT 10. Service providers 20 a Of can includemultiple data services, multiple video services, multiple telephoneservices, and any other service that can be digitized for transportationover the broadband network. The telephone services may include access toan existing regional Bell operating company's legacy system, access toother exchange carriers, and to inter-exchange carriers. A broadbandvideo and data network management system software package 22 manages theservices provided throughout the broadband network. The serviceproviders 20 a-20 f communicate with the broadband video and datanetwork management system software 22 through a standard business systeminterface 25 b. (E.g., the General Instrument Addressable ControllerSystem ACC4000D protocol.). Finally, a network provisioning andmaintenance management system software package 24 manages the physicalaspects of the broadband network. This network provisioning andmaintenance management system software package 24 is responsible fordetecting when the various ports of the remote nodes 12 a-12 d areenabled and ready to communicate with the customers 14 a-14 j. Theservice providers 20 a-20 f also communicate with the networkprovisioning and maintenance management system software package 24through a standard business system interface 25 a.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing how the relationship between thecustomer and the customer service entitlements is established. Theprocess starts after a customer is connected to a port at a remote nodeand the network provisioning and maintenance management system softwarepackage detects that a port has been enabled. The network provider firstestablishes a unique circuit identification for each port 30. Sincethere is one or more ports per customer, the circuit identification isunique to each port. The network provider then sends the circuitidentifications and customer names to the service providers 32.Meanwhile, the customers interface directly with the service providersto establish entitlements for the different services being offered.Where a service provider has agreed to entitlements for a particularcustomer, and has the circuit identification from the network providerthat is unique to that particular port, a service order is generated 34.Service orders contain fields for the service to be provided, and afield for a unit address. Service providers enter the entitlements inthe services to be provided fields, and the circuit identification inthe unit address field. The service providers then return the serviceorders to the network provider 36 using the business system interface tothe broadband video and data network management system software. Thebroadband video and data network management system software stores theservice orders 37 and flows the service orders through to the BDT wherethe circuit identifications and service entitlements are stored 38. Atthis point, the BDT knows which entitlements are linked to which circuitidentifications, and which circuit identification is linked to whichport.

To make the circuit identification useful to a variety of networkproviders and a variety of service providers, the circuit identificationshould have a standardized format. In the preferred embodiment thecircuit identification is a seventeen octet message. The first twooctets contain the state code identifying the state from which thecircuit identification terminates. The next four octets contain a commonlanguage circuit identifier (CLCI). Preferably the CLCI is the same asthe circuit identifier currently in use by all of the regional Belloperating companies, although another standard may be employed withinthe scope of the present invention. The next six octets contain codesfor the central node, remote node number and port number. Thisinformation identifies the physical location of the port within thenetwork. The next three octets contain a code identifying the servingwire center. In the last two octets are a company code that identifiesthe owner of the port equipment. The company code field may be truncatedif necessary to flow the circuit identification through other automatedsystems that can only handle limited field lengths.

FIG. 3 shows the sequence of events that take place when a customerissues a service request 40. The remote node that the customer isconnected with incorporates the port number and remote node number intothe service request 42 then sends the service request to the BDT 44.When the service request is received by the BDT, the BDT reads frommemory the stored service entitlements which contain the same portnumber and remote node number as in the service request 46. The BDT thenverifies, decision block 48, that the customer's service request matchesthe customer's service entitlements. If there is no match between theservice request and the entitlements, then the service request isrejected 50. If the service request matches one of the customer'sservice entitlements, then the BDT provides access to the correspondingservice 52. Once the BDT has received and verified a valid servicerequest, the BDT may log the service request in a service requesthistory data base 54. This service request history data base may besorted by the circuit identifications within the service requests tosupport billing.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing how the circuit identification maysupport maintenance of the broadband network. As part of a maintenanceaction, repair personnel read the circuit identification from the BDT60. From the circuit identification the repair personnel can learn aboutthe physical location and characteristics about the port. Themaintenance action is then performed 62. When finished, the repairpersonnel log the maintenance action and associated circuitidentification into a maintenance history data base 64. The circuitidentification permits the maintenance history data base to be sorted byport, remote node, or central node.

Users of the present invention derive additional benefits from thecircuit identification method. In particular, use of a unique standardcircuit identifier facilitates the automated use of a Jerrold protocolin providing the video and data services over the broadband network. Theregional Bell operating companies may use the circuit identification intheir existing reporting systems to record voice switching-between theirlegacy telephone system and the broadband network. The circuitidentification provides equipment designers a method to incorporateequipment characteristic intelligence in the common language circuitidentifier field to aid provisioning and maintenance. Finally, thecircuit identification gives the network providers a method to inventorythe ports.

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described,it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe allpossible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in thespecification are words of description rather than limitation, and thatvarious changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1. A method for controlling access to a plurality of services by aplurality of ports in a network, wherein the plurality of services areprovided by at least one service provider, the method comprises:establishing a plurality of circuit identifications, one circuitidentification being established for each port of the plurality ofports; providing the plurality of circuit identifications to the atleast one service provider; receiving a plurality of service orders fromthe at least one service provider, each service order having at leastone service entitlement and a respective first circuit identification ofthe plurality of circuit identifications; storing each serviceentitlement and the respective first circuit identifications in acentral node; receiving at least one service request at the centralnode, the at least one service request having a respective secondcircuit identification of the plurality of circuit identifications; andverifying for each service request received at the central node that therespective first circuit identification of at least one serviceentitlement is the same as the respective second circuit identificationof the service request.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the circuitidentification includes a state code, a circuit type identifier, acentral node code, a serving wire center code, and a company code. 3.The method of claim 2 further comprising: reading each respective firstcircuit identification stored in the central node, for supporting aplurality of maintenance actions on each port associated with eachrespective first circuit identification; and logging each maintenanceaction and the respective first circuit identification associated witheach port receiving each maintenance action in a maintenance historydata base in response to completing each maintenance action.
 4. Themethod of claim 3 further comprising sorting the maintenance historydata base by each respective first circuit identification.
 5. The methodof claim 1 wherein the network interfaces to at least one video serviceprovider, and the plurality of services includes at least one videoservice.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the network interfaces to atleast one data service provider, and the plurality of services includesat least one data service.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the networkinterfaces to at least one telephone service provider, and the pluralityof services includes at least one telephone service.
 8. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the network interfaces to at least one existingtelephone system, and the plurality of services includes at least onetelephone service.
 9. The method of claim 1 further comprises loggingeach verified service request in a service request history data base.10. The method of claim 9 further comprising sorting the service requesthistory data base by the respective second circuit identification ineach service request.
 11. The method of claim 1 further comprisingstoring each service request received at the network in a managementsystem.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein each circuit identificationincludes a port number and a node number.
 13. An information recordingmedium for use in a computer for controlling access to a plurality ofservices by a plurality of ports in a network, wherein the plurality ofservices are provided by at least one service provider, the informationrecording medium recording a computer program that is readable andexecutable by the computer, the computer program comprising:establishing a plurality of circuit identifications, one circuitidentification being established for each port of the plurality ofports; providing the plurality of circuit identifications to the atleast one service provider; receiving a plurality of service orders fromthe at least one service provider, each service order having at leastone service entitlement and a respective first circuit identification ofthe plurality of circuit identifications; storing each serviceentitlement and the respective first circuit identifications in acentral node; receiving at least one service request at the centralnode, the at least one service request having a respective secondcircuit identification of the plurality of circuit identifications; andverifying for each service request received at the central node that therespective first circuit identification of at least one serviceentitlement is the same as the respective second circuit identificationof the service request.
 14. The information recording medium of claim 13wherein the computer program further comprises storing each servicerequest received at the network in a management system.
 15. Theinformation recording medium of claim 13 wherein each circuitidentification includes a port number and a node number.
 16. Theinformation recording medium of claim 13 wherein the circuitidentification includes a state code, a circuit type identifier, acentral node code, a serving wire center code, and a company code. 17.The information recording medium of claim 13 wherein the computerprogram further comprises logging each verified service request in aservice request history data base.
 18. The information recording mediumof claim 17 wherein the computer program further comprises sorting theservice request history data base by the respective second circuitidentification in each service request.
 19. The information recordingmedium of claim 13 wherein the computer program further comprises:reading each respective first circuit identification stored in thecentral node, for supporting a plurality of maintenance actions on eachport associated with each respective first circuit identification; andlogging each maintenance action and the respective first circuitidentification associated with each port receiving each maintenanceaction in a maintenance history data base in response to completing eachmaintenance action.
 20. The information recording medium of claim 19wherein the computer program further comprises sorting the maintenancehistory data base by each respective first circuit identification.